Patricia strengthens to Category 5 hurricane off Mexico

MIAMI (AP) — Patricia has strengthened into what the U.S. National Hurricane Center is calling a "potentially catastrophic" Category 5 hurricane as it moves toward the Mexican coast.

The Center reported late Thursday that Patricia's maximum sustained winds had grown to 160 mph (260 kph). The storm was located about 200 miles (320 kms) southwest of the port of Manzanillo, Mexico, and was moving northwest at 10 mph (17 kph).

The center said that on the current forecast track, Patricia is expected to make landfall Friday afternoon or evening.